CVE-2024-39401 Overview
CVE-2024-39401 is an OS Command Injection vulnerability [CWE-78] affecting Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special elements passed to operating system commands. An authenticated administrator can chain the weakness with user interaction to execute arbitrary code on the underlying host. Because the CVSS scope is changed, successful exploitation impacts resources beyond the vulnerable component. Adobe published the fix in security bulletin APSB24-61. Affected releases include Adobe Commerce 2.4.7-p1, 2.4.6-p6, 2.4.5-p8, 2.4.4-p9, and earlier, along with the equivalent Magento Open Source builds.
Critical Impact
An admin-level attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution on the Commerce or Magento host, with scope change extending the blast radius to adjacent components and data.
Affected Products
- Adobe Commerce versions 2.4.7-p1, 2.4.6-p6, 2.4.5-p8, 2.4.4-p9 and earlier
- Magento Open Source across the equivalent 2.4.4 through 2.4.7 release branches
- Deployments running the 2.4.7 beta builds (2.4.7-b1, 2.4.7-b2)
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-08-14 - CVE-2024-39401 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-39401
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-78, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. Adobe Commerce accepts attacker-controlled input through an administrative workflow and forwards that input into a system command without sufficient sanitization. Shell metacharacters embedded in the input break out of the intended command structure and execute additional operating system instructions. The Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-61 confirms arbitrary code execution as the resulting impact.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input neutralization on values that reach an OS command interpreter. Commerce concatenates user-supplied data into a command string rather than passing arguments through a safe API. Characters such as ;, |, &, backticks, and $(...) retain their shell meaning, allowing arbitrary command chaining under the web server process account.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based but requires high privileges: the attacker must already hold an administrator account in the Commerce back office. Exploitation also requires user interaction, indicating a second actor must trigger the vulnerable action. Because scope is changed, the executed code can reach resources outside the Commerce application context, including underlying operating system files and adjacent services. The EPSS probability of 1.672% reflects moderate real-world exploitation likelihood relative to the CVE population.
No public proof-of-concept has been released and the issue is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to Adobe Security Advisory APSB24-61 for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-39401
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by the PHP-FPM or web server user (for example sh, bash, curl, wget, python) with a Commerce process as the parent
- New or modified files under pub/media, var/, or app/etc/ that were not written through a deployment pipeline
- Outbound network connections from the Commerce host to previously unseen IP addresses shortly after administrator activity
- Admin session logins from unusual geolocations or user agents preceding command-execution artifacts
Detection Strategies
- Correlate Commerce admin audit logs with process-creation telemetry on the hosting server to catch shell invocations that follow administrative actions.
- Alert on web server processes executing binaries outside a known allowlist such as /usr/bin/php, /usr/sbin/nginx, and /usr/sbin/apache2.
- Monitor var/log/exception.log and var/log/system.log for stack traces referencing shell execution helpers or unexpected Symfony\Component\Process invocations.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest Commerce application logs, web server access logs, and endpoint process telemetry into a central SIEM for correlated review.
- Track administrator account creation, role changes, and privileged actions to shorten the window between compromise and detection.
- Baseline outbound traffic from Commerce hosts so that command-and-control callbacks stand out against normal payment gateway and CDN traffic.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-39401
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Adobe security updates referenced in APSB24-61 to every Commerce and Magento Open Source instance.
- Rotate credentials for all administrator accounts and enforce multi-factor authentication on the /admin interface.
- Review admin activity logs for the period preceding patch deployment and investigate any unexpected privileged actions.
Patch Information
Adobe released fixed builds through security bulletin APSB24-61. Upgrade Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source to the patched releases published for the 2.4.4, 2.4.5, 2.4.6, and 2.4.7 branches. Verify the installed version with bin/magento --version after the upgrade and confirm the patch level matches the bulletin.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the Commerce admin panel using an IP allowlist or VPN so remote administrators cannot reach the vulnerable endpoint from arbitrary networks.
- Run the web server under a least-privileged account and apply mandatory access controls such as SELinux or AppArmor to limit command execution outcomes.
- Disable or tightly restrict unused administrative modules and integrations that expose the vulnerable workflow until patching is complete.
# Verify Adobe Commerce version after applying APSB24-61
bin/magento --version
bin/magento setup:db:status
bin/magento cache:flush
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
